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Aut Caesar, aut nihil  2016

INSTALLATION

 

Re-appropriated paintings (my own, "borrowed" from a private collector and returned after being re-painted with several layers of acrylic silver coating, except for for the stencilled letters which reveal some of the underlying painting), periodical light dimmer alternating between full ceiling light and no ceiling light, 3x30 liters aquariums with live fish (Malawi Cichlid babies and Pleco babies), fluorescent fish gravel, plants and stones, display table made mostly of upcycled leftover wood.

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(more details below)

He had been hoping to see, one more time in his life, a prisoner fly, a prisoner realize his dream of freedom.

 

- John Berger. Why Look at Animals. 



An individual in despair despairs over something. So it seems for a moment, but only for a moment; in the same moment the true despair or despair in its true form shows itself. In despairing over something, he really despaired over himself, and now he wants to get rid of himself. For example, when the ambitious man whose slogan is "Either Caesar or nothing" does not get to be Caesar, he despairs over it. But this also means something else: precisely because he did not get to be Caesar, he now cannot bear to be himself. Consequently he does not despair because he did not get to be Caesar but despairs over himself because he did not get to be Caesar.... Consequently, to despair over something is still not despair proper.... To despair over oneself, in despair to will to be rid of oneself—this is the formula for all despair


- Søren Kierkegaard. The Sickness Unto Death.

 

 

 

 

 

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